Facts About Alcohol
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about underage drinking and
resources where you can get more information.
What is underage drinking?
Why is underage drinking dangerous?
How many tweens and teens are drinking?
What is binge drinking?
What is a drink?
Are beer and wine safer than liquor?
How can I say no?
What Is Underage Drinking?
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Underage drinking occurs when anyone under age 21 drinks alcohol in any amount or
form.
- Underage drinking is dangerous.
- And, it's against the law, except in special cases, such as when it is part of a
religious ceremony.
In 1984, the Federal Government enacted the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which
calls for reduced Federal transportation funds - the money States use to build and
repair their highways - to those States that did not raise the minimum legal drinking
age to 21. Today, drinking by anyone under age 21 is against the law in every State
and in the District of Columbia.
Why Is Underage Drinking Dangerous?
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Underage drinking is a major cause of death from injuries among young people.
Each year, approximately 5,000 people under age 21 die as a result of underage drinking.
This includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes; 1,600 as a result of
homicides; 300 from suicide; and hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns,
and drownings.1
It can harm the growing brain. Today we know that the brain continues to
develop from birth through the adolescent years and into the mid 20s.
Diagrams and facts about alcohol and brain development
It can affect the body in many ways. The effects of alcohol range from
hangovers to death from alcohol poisoning.
It can lead to other problems. These may include bad grades in school,
run-ins with the law, and drug use.
It affects how well a young person judges risk and makes sound decisions.
For example, after drinking, a teen may see nothing wrong with driving a car or
riding with a driver who has been drinking. But, before drinking, the teen might
realize the riskiness involved.
It plays a role in risky sexual activity. People do things when they are
under the influence of alcohol—even a small amount—that they would not do when they
are sober, including having sex even when they didn't want to and had not planned
to do so. This behavior can increase the chance of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted
diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
How Many Tweens and Teens Are Drinking?
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Not as many as a lot of them believe and tell each other. The rate of current alcohol
use among youth aged 12 to 17 was 15.9 percent in 2007.2 That means 84.1
percent, or more than four out of five students, did not use alcohol.
Some more facts:
- Today, nearly 10.8 million youth aged 12 to 20 are underage drinkers.3
- In any month, more youth are drinking than are smoking cigarettes or using marijuana.4
- Approximately 10 percent of 9-to 10-year-olds have started drinking.5
- Nearly one-third of youth begin drinking before age 13.6
It's important to remember that most tweens and teens are not drinking.
Don't be taken in by myths, rumors, and opinions. Get the facts from sources you
can trust.
For more statistics and information, visit
The Cool Spot.
What Is Binge Drinking?
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Binge alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion
on at least 1 day in the past 30 days (from the National Survey on Drug Use and
Health). Heavy drinking is defined as binge drinking on at least 5 days in the past
month.
In 2007, 9.7 percent of youth aged 12 to 20 reported binge drinking in the past
month. The rate for heavy drinking was 2.3 percent.7
What Is a Drink?
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A drink can come in many forms. It can be a shot of hard liquor or a mixed drink
containing vodka, rum, tequila, gin, scotch, or some other liquor. It can also be
wine, a wine cooler, beer, or malt liquor.
A standard drink is any drink that contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol (about
0.6 fluid ounces or 1.2 tablespoons). This is the amount of alcohol usually found
in:
- One 12-ounce beer
- One 4- to 5-ounce glass of wine
- One 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor
Below are U.S. standard drink equivalents. These are approximate, since different
brands and types of beverages vary in their actual alcohol content.
Are Beer and Wine Safer Than Liquor?
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No. Alcohol is alcohol. It can cause you problems no matter how you consume it.
One 12-ounce bottle of beer or a 5-ounce glass of wine (about a half cup) has as
much alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor.
How Can I Say No?
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Resisting peer pressure to drink isn't always easy. But, you have the right to say
no, the right not to give a reason why, and the right to just walk away from a situation.
Look for tips on saying no at
The Cool Spot.
Sources
1,2,4 Office of the Surgeon General. (2007).
The Surgeon General's Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Guide to Action for Families
(PDF 900KB) p. 10. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
3,7 Office of Applied Studies (2008).
Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings
(NSDUH Series H-34, DHHS Publication No. SMA 08-4343). Rockville, MD: Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
5,6 Office of the Surgeon General. (2007).
The Surgeon General's Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce
Underage Drinking
(PDF 1.41MB), p. 6. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.